Call for ban on 50cl superstrengths

A Labour MP has called for a 44cl upper limit on the size of superstrength beer and cider packs, and higher tax on beers over 6% abv.

Martin Linton said in a Commons debate that action was needed to curb alcohol abuse among the homeless.

Linton said there was a contradiction in 50cl cans of high-strength lager carrying responsible drinking messages when the alcohol content was higher than the recommended maximum number of daily units for men.

"The great majority of sales of superstrength lager and cider are to alcohol-dependent people who are often vulnerable," he said.

He said the homeless charity Thames Reach had asked its staff to rank various substances in order of addictive harm they caused to people they worked with.

"They put heroin third and crack cocaine in second place. In first place, the most dangerous addictive drug, causing the most damage and the highest number of deaths, was superstrength lager," said Linton.

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